18 years! That's how long our local officials have been contemplating an update to the
Seattle Street Tree Ordinance. It's time to take a stand to protect Puget Sound's Urban
Forest, which is rapidly losing to the juggernaut of the combined forces of unprecedented
development, the transportation crisis and the obsession with uninterrupted water views.
We can accommodate growth, but we need to do so without sacrificing the trees and
open spaces.
Eighteen years ago, PlantAmnesty held a mutilated tree protest on Boyer Street, the
site of eight London Plane trees that had been horribly topped, reduced in height by
more than half with not a single leaf or branch left on them. In the TV news coverage
of that protest the anchor ended by saying, "The City's looking at adopting an ordinance
that would prohibit this sort of pruning." That was 18 years ago! Every five years the City
looks at the ordinance and fails to pass it. It is being looked at again
right now! This time, let's make sure the outcome is different.
You can help by sending an email to the mayor and the council members. With our new
web form, it will take only a couple minutes of your time to make sure our officials hear
YOUR voice.
We've drafted a short note that you can edit or send AS IS. Read about the
proposed changes to the ordinance. Also, for more ideas, read Cass' letter to
the city. Thanks for your interest!